Triple D…Gusting

On our most recent trip to Tampa, for the Sugarland Concert, we decided to try some where new for lunch. So, during the weeks prior to our visit, we researched some lunch items for Saturday. Once we had our list narrowed down, I left it up to Mommy. She opted on California Tacos To Go – featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Now, I had read blogs of this joint and was expecting it to not be so good. No, most blogs didn’t say it was bad but…they didn’t say it was good either. In the end, we went to California Tacos To Go on Saturday for lunch. And, yes it may have been on Triple D but, it was so Triple D…Gusting.

We arrived to California Tacos around 12:15pm on Saturday afternoon. The location is basically just a take-out window with a few outdoor tables available. We made our way to a table and I went up to the counter to place our order. Now, this restaurant is known for – you guessed it – California Tacos. Or, at least their take of California Tacos. The speciality item are the Fish Tacos, which is what Mommy decided to go with. I opted for the Veggie Burrito with Rice & Beans and Taylor got a Chicken Burrito with Rice & Beans. We also ordered some chips. After waiting nearly 20 minutes, with many people being called before us, our food was finally ready. I got the food from the counter and headed to eat.

I started off with the chips. Well, these chips were really not all that great. They were just your basic tortilla chips. Overall, they really had no flavor whatsoever. The order of chips was pretty large – filling an entire paper bag – but, it was also over $3. I found not only this price, but the prices of all items, to be quite off. If you aren’t going to offer free chips, or chips with the meal, then you should at least make them pretty cheap. There was nothing authentic about these chips and I think I only ended up eating a handfuls worth.

My burrito and rice & beans were all served in a styrofoam container. The beans were pinto with some cheese added on top. These had to be some of the dryest beans I have ever had. It was difficult eating these and I did not finish them – something I almost never do. The rice had some mixed in veggies but, was also very dry and flavorless. You should not serve rice & beans if you can’t do it right…it’s as easy as that. The burrito was a good size and looked perhaps promising. As I bit in, the first thing I noticed was the non-authentic, chewy consistency of the tortilla. This was more along the lines of a wrap than an authentic tortilla. Please don’t say you are authentic if you are not. Purchasing cheap tortillas from a supplier, and heating them up on a grill, does not make you authentic.

Inside the burrito, was a mix of pico, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, pinto beans, rice and cheese. Again, the pintos and rice within the burrito were quite dry. I found the flavor and consistency of the guacamole to be totally gross – way too thin and a funky after taste. I did enjoy the taste of the pico and the sour cream & lettuce were also both good. While I could see the cheese within the burrito, I really could not taste it. Overall, the flavors of the burrito really did not mix at all. With the chewy, messy tortilla, it was hard to combine all aspects of the burrito within the same bites. The burrito simply got worse as I continued to eat it. Blah, what a waste.

I did try a few bites of Mommy’s California Fish Taco and, it was also quite a waste. The fried fish pieces tasted like old oil, the tortillas were gross and the toppings were sub-par. Taylor ate most of his meal but, was also not impressed – especially with the rice & beans. After Mommy finished her’s, her stomach hurt – that old oil I’m sure. Our total bill for lunch was $36 – quite a lot considering we did not get drinks. I do not know if we just visited on a bad day or what, but California Tacos To Go was not good at all. I will absolutely never visit this restaurant again and it does concern me that this was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Ohh well. At least we can mark it off the list and know to never return. And, I suggest the same to all of you. In this case, California Tacos To Go was Triple D…Gusting.